A shot of Wadi Rum in Jordan

By Steve Collins, on September 12th, 2010

It’s real Lawrence of Arabia country, a huge expanse of red desert that is dotted with huge pillars of sandstone which soar up as high as 1700 metres.

This is the Wadi Rum in Jordan, and it really is Lawrence of Arabia country, as this is where Lawrence based himself here during the Arab revolt of 1917-1918. It is also where much of the movie of the same name was filmed; it is simply an area of intense grandeur that has only recently began attracting visitors.

Home to the Bedouin, people have been living here for thousands of years, and have left their marks in the way of petroglyphs, carvings, on the rocks. The Wadi Rum has also now got a reputation amongst rock climbers for offering some of the best climbs you will find anywhere.

Located about 60kms inland from the Jordanian port of Aqaba, the Wadi Rum is now second only to Petra as a tourist attraction inside Jordan. The best ways to enjoy the Wadi Rum are by jeep or camel, depending on your timetable. There are 19 places of interest that can easily be reached by jeep, but for that authentic desert experience, the memory of a day-long camel ride will probably stay with you forever.

Bear in mind that you are traversing desert, so expect great changes in temperature, particularly if you plan to stay overnight when temperatures plunge quite dramatically. Also, understand why the Bedouins wear flowing robes and excessive headwear. It is for protection from the sun, and to protect their eyes and faces in case of sandstorm. The flowing robes, whilst looking to be quite hot, actually act as a type of air-conditioning unit, and are great at keeping the body cool by allowing air to circulate between the inside of the robes and the body.

It is best to book guides to lead you through the Wadi Rum because they know the area well, and will explain the terrain and points of significant interest to you.